The Boulevardiers aka Vu Quan Nguyen and Laurent Francois.
Based between Ho Chi Minh and London, the two French share here and there their inspirations, what matters to them in fashion.
And they truly believe that fashion can change the world

Levi’s Commuter

It’s a rising trend in many European cities: bikes are now not only a pragmatic way to move from a place to another, but is tremendously becoming a lifestyle. Many reasons for that: environmental concerns and responsibilities; “free” bikes in London or Paris, implemented by administration or companies like Barclays; digital services which allow users to better know where they can grab a bike.

In a recent interview, JeWon Yu, Global Senior Designer for Levi’s, gives some views on how he engineered the collection: from reinforced belt loops to 3M reflective tape..

“Commuter Series is a line designed specifically with the urban cyclist in mind. At a second’s glance, it isn’t any different to our regular five-pocket jeans and tops – and that was the whole point. We didn’t want to introduce a collection that screamed “Look at me, I ride my bike!” Basically, we saw that these urban cyclists were wearing our jeans and clothes anyway so why not offer them a little something extra? Also, for the first time, we’re introducing a woven tops line. We’re using 3xDry from Schoeller for our tops – absorbs moisture on the inside (won’t show through to the surface) and resists water on the outside.”

I guess that more and more brands are tyring to identify rising communities. In this case, boulevardiers and dandies don’t have to wear sportswear anymore: you can be classy and ride your bicycle. Rock’n roll.

Laurent “Lilzeon” François is a fashion blogger & photographer. He runs a creative agency in London (RE-UP) which shapes digital stories for brands. He writes with Vu Quan Nguyen for L'Express Styles in France (Le Boulevardier).